Coming of Age
by Polydicta
Summary: Voldemort's gone forever, it's Harry's 17th birthday, and someone wants to make it special for him


**Coming of Age **

by Polydicta

Voldemort's gone forever, it's Harry's 17th birthday, and someone wants to make it special for him

**Disclaimer: **

All fiction is derivative and fan fiction doubly so. I make no claim to own any part of any of the following, all I have done is an attempt to put together the elements in a novel fashion, using words and ideas like Lego ™ bricks.

There is no money involved – all I do is to share what I do for my own amusement.

-::::::::-

**Coming of Age **

.

It was July 31, Harry's Birthday, and they were still at school. Harry still couldn't believe that Voldemort was finally gone. He, Dumbledore, Neville, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had fought Voldemort and his minions and, against all odds, had won.

It had taken weeks to help Dumbledore get his office and quarters back into a serviceable condition afterward. Other than Death Eaters and Voldemort himself, the only casualties of the climax of the second war of Voldemort had been Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape.

It had been a great summer, spending the holiday at Hogwarts trialling a series of new courses to be launched in September.

Ron had decided that he would accept the offer he had to become a reserve team chaser for the Chudley Cannons, and Ginny had left to help spearhead the twins' business expansion into Europe.

.

Next year's Head Boy, Harry, was relaxing in the bath in the Prefects' Bathroom, letting the steaming waters ease the tensions of the day from him.

Today had been gruelling and Harry was pleasantly exhausted. Mad-Eye had been taking a team through the Aurors' combat-apparator's course and they had returned hot, sticky and filthy from the mud and the dust in the Hogsburn Valley where they had been training.

At the end of the day, everyone had passed their level six combat apparation test. Everyone including Neville.

There was a knock.

"Harry?"

Using his wand, he opened the door.

"Come in, Hermione. I'm almost done."

"Is there room for another one in there Harry?"

Harry blushed. "If you want. Otherwise, I can forgo my prune impressions and let you have some privacy."

"No, that's alright. I know how you feel. A good hot soak is the order of the day."

Next year's Head Girl came into his field of view wearing a white bathrobe which she let fall as she entered the hot, bubble-covered water.

Harry was now the shade of red known as Weasley no. 4. He had seen, albeit briefly, sufficient of Hermione to realise just how wonderful a figure she had.

.

"How you feeling now, Harry?"

"Better thanks. The aches are slowly going. You?"

"Much better now."

Suddenly there was a leg sticking out of the water as she soaped it. Then the other. Harry was rapt.

The bubbles were starting to disappear, and Harry kept catching glimpses of the swell of Hermione's …

He sighed.

"Can you do my back please, Harry?"

He swallowed hard, and took the slightly rose-scented soap and started to lather her back, feeling the smooth skin, the well-muscled shoulders, the ridges of her spine.

She shuddered.

"You okay?"

"Yes Harry. That's nice, thank you. Maybe I ought to get you to always do my back for me."

"Tease!"

"Anyway, we need to hurry. It's almost dinner time, and you don't want to miss dinner after missing lunch, do you?"

She surged out of the bath and walked around to fetch her bathrobe. Harry couldn't miss the show she put on, seemingly for his benefit.

.

Replete with Shepherd's pie and veggies, followed by treacle tart, Harry made his way back up to the common room with Hermione.

"_Draconis Valorous_."

The portrait hole opened and Harry led through into a remarkably quiet common room. It was _too_ quiet.

Suddenly, "Happy Birthday, Harry!"

The room suddenly filled with people appearing from behind disillusionment charms. There was a birthday cake and there were nibbles and punch of some sort.

.

The party was in full swing, and even members of staff had arrived to help celebrate the coming of age of the Man Who Conquered.

.

Finnegan handed him a glass.

"What's this?"

"Firewhisky."

Harry sniffed it cautiously.

"Go on, are you a man or a mouse?"

"Mouse. eek. eek-eek EEK!"

He avoided the stuff as much as he could after that, not wanting a hangover.

.

It was almost midnight and the party was over. Hermione had dragged Harry out for a walk, and they were currently enjoying the stars as seen from the battlements atop Gryffindor Tower.

"It's funny, you know, Hermione. Just a few weeks ago, the party would have stretched on into the morning."

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, and we really ought to be getting back down and getting some sleep."

"I know. Thanks again for the party, Hermione."

"It's nothing, Harry."

He pulled the door to open it for her, but it wouldn't move.

She smiled to herself, knowing that the charm she'd cast meant that she was the only one who could open the door to its _new_ destination. She pushed it open and they went down the narrow spiral staircase..

Instead of emerging behind the tapestry of a stag hunting scene, they emerged in a bedroom with just one bed in it.

Harry, articulate as ever asked, "eh?"

"Happy Birthday, Harry. So how else would we celebrate your coming of age?"

She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck and pulled him down into a leg-melting, mind numbing kiss.

All conscious acts of will were beyond him now, and Harry could only go with the flow, and he did so willingly, inhaling her rose and vanilla scent deep into his soul with each step he took.

.

When morning arrived, the sun shone on the young couple: sleeping, wrapped in each other's arms, smiles on their lips and a new-found realisation of love in their hearts.


End file.
